There in is the problem. Now it's "How much is it worth" instead of "Look what I"ve found". Collecting for the fun of it, is now secondary. Most are now worried that they got a good deal, not that they bought the coin for enjoyment. We have also condition them to NOT to be satisfied with anything but the best. Save your money and get the next grade up. A noble goal but not a necessary one to be a collector. Encourage every young collector about the coins they buy. You can point out disparities if you like, but always conclude with a positive statement to build confidence. Even if it's simply, " All in all, it's still a nice coin for your collection".
Years ago, when ebay 1st came out, I read an article in Time (or maybe Newsweek) about a lunchbox collector who spent years looking for that elusive lunchbox only to find twenty of them on ebay for pennies on the dollar of what it was worth. He said it took the fun out of collecting. When I collected baseball cards, I would much rather look through pack after pack for one card than to go the dealer and buy the ones I needed.
We've kind of gotten away from the original topic, but anyway, I think the benefits more than offset the negatives. There are so many people who collect things (not just coins) who would never be able to find them otherwise. Yes, there's a thrill to digging through the dealer's value bin and finding that elusive coin, but there's also the very real prospect that you go there week after week and he never has it, and without eBay you have nowhere else to turn. EBay would never be my only way to buy coins, but it is a necessary option.
I agree 100%, and would add new collectors that are not youngsters in age. Even a 90 yr.old, just starting collecting can be in a similar situation. Nice thoughts! Jim
I dunno about you guys, but I've been collecting for 5 years and still smile when I get a wheat cent in change, or do a happy dance when i get a silver dime/quarter in change. I like circ junk stuff. I have a roll of junk silver quarters on my desk. I won't melt them, because they are worth more to me as a part of history, vs melt value. I tend to like cheap circa stuff....stuff that's been through thousands of hands. In fact, 50% of my collection is circ find coins. I have certain circ silver coins I like mich more than my slabbed stuff.
I am pretty sure that silver will bottom out and be cheap again some day and than it will soar to all new heights... metals will always have there ups and downs.. for now I have decided to take up a secondary hobby, until I can do more with my primary hobby. My new hobby is home brewing
I was in a pawn shop and a coin shop today looking for coins to buy and each place I went to all they asked was "are you looking for silver?" "are you wanting to sell silver" My answer was "NO" and not all coins are made of silver "cant I collect any of those?" They just sat with a dumb look on their face! Sick of silver prices please go down